Method, system, player and mobile terminal for online video playback

Abstract

A method for online video playback includes: loading the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates at an initial playback; and choosing to load and play a video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates according to the bit rate corresponding to the current network traffic and the resolution supported by a playing terminal after the video has been playing steadily. The method for online video playback can automatically choose to play videos encoded at an appropriate bit rate according to the current internet speed so that the playback is smooth and uninterrupted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for online video playback, comprising:
 segmenting a video into several versions of video segments targeting different bit rates form low to high in advance, with video segments of each version corresponding to a specific class of bit rates, wherein classes of different bit rates from low to high as referred to in the step of segmenting the video into several versions of video segments corresponding to different bit rates form low to high in advance, comprise: a first class of bit rates from 700 to 1199 kbps, a second class of bit rates from 1200 to 2500 kbps, a third class of bit rates from 2051 kbps to 2 Mbps, and a fourth class of bit rates from 2 Mbps to 10 Mbps and above; 
 loading the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates at an initial playback; 
 testing automatically the network traffic according to a predefined time interval after the video has been playing steadily; 
 determining whether to choose a high-bit rate video segment to play later according to the current network traffic; 
 upgrading gradually to the highest bit rate if the network traffic is good; if the internet environment permits, choosing automatically and playing the video segment corresponding to an appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of a playing terminal; and 
 downgrading gradually to low-bit rate video segments if the network traffic is busy; if the internet environment permits, choosing automatically and playing the video segment corresponding to appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of a playing terminal. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of segmenting the video into several versions of video segments targeting different bit rates form low to high in advance, further comprises organizing the information of video segments of different versions into a profile. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps before loading and playing the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates at an initial playback further comprise testing the resolution that can be supported by a playing terminal and calculating the optimum bit rate that can be supported by the playing terminal. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps after the loading and playing of the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates further comprise:
 recording a time stamp at the point where the playback of the first video segment stops; 
 choosing and playing the video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates; specifically, playing the chosen video segment corresponding to the appropriate class of bit rates from the time stamp of the first video segment. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for online video playback, comprising:
 segmenting a video into several versions of video segments targeting different bit rates form low to high in advance, with video segments of each version corresponding to a specific class of bit rates, wherein classes of different bit rates from low to high as referred to in the step of segmenting the video into several versions of video segments corresponding to different bit rates form low to, high in advance, comprise: a first class of bit rates from 700 to 1199 kbps, a second class of bit rates from 1200 to 2500 kbps, a third class of bit rates from 2051 kbps to 2 Mbps, and a fourth class of bit rates from 2 Mbps to 10 Mbps and above; 
 loading the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates at an initial playback; and 
 testing automatically the network traffic, and choosing to load and play a video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates according to the bit rate corresponding to the current network traffic and the resolution supported by a playing terminal after the video has been playing steadily. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of segmenting the video into several versions of video segments targeting different bit rates form low to high in advance, further comprises organizing the information of video segments of different versions into a profile. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the steps of choosing to load and play the video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates according to the bit rate corresponding to the current network traffic and the resolution supported by a playing terminal after the video has been playing steadily, comprises:
 testing automatically the network traffic after the video has been playing steadily; 
 determining whether to choose a high-bit rate video segment to play later according to the current network traffic; 
 upgrading gradually to the highest bit rate if the network traffic is good; if the internet environment permits, choosing automatically and playing the video segment corresponding to an appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of a playing terminal; 
 downgrading gradually to low-bit rate video segments if the network traffic is busy; if the internet environment permits, choosing automatically and playing the video segment corresponding to appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of a playing terminal. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , wherein steps before loading and playing the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates at an initial playback further comprise testing the resolution that can be supported by a playing terminal and calculating the optimum bit rate that can be supported by the playing terminal. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , wherein steps to retrieve the bit rate corresponding to the current network traffic comprise:
 retrieving the speed of the current network by applying for a speed test to a speed-testing website through the website's interface; 
 choosing the highest bit rate that can be supported by the current internet speed after comparing the internet speed with the bit rates on a video server. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of the player automatically testing the network traffic comprises: the player automatically testing the network traffic according to a predefined time interval. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 5 , wherein steps after the loading and playing of the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates further comprise:
 recording a time stamp at the point where the playback of the first video segment stops; 
 choosing and playing the video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates; specifically, playing the chosen video segment corresponding to the appropriate class of bit rates from the time stamp of the first video segment. 
 
     
     
       12. A system for online video playback, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory connected with the processor, the memory comprising a plurality of program instructions executable by the processor, the plurality of program instructions comprising: 
 a video segmenting module, for segmenting a video into several versions of video segments targeting different bit rates from low to high in advance, with the video segment of a version corresponding to a specific class of bit rates,, wherein classes of different bit rates from low to high as referred to in the steps of segmenting the video into several versions of video segments corresponding to different bit rates form low to high in advance comprise: a first class of bit rates from 700 to 1199 kbps, a second class of bit rates from 1200 to 2500 kbps, a third class of bit rates from 2051 kbps to 2 Mbps, and a fourth class of bit rates from 2 Mbps to 10 Mbps and above; 
 an initial playback controlling module, configured to cause the processor to control the player to begin by loading and playing the first video segment corresponding to the lowest class of bit rates from the version of the lowest class of bit rates; 
 an automatic playback controlling module, configured to cause the processor to control the player to automatically test the network traffic after the video has been playing steadily, and choose to load and play a video segment corresponding to an appropriate class of bit rates according to the bit rate corresponding to the current network traffic and the resolution that can be supported by the playing terminal. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the automatic playback controlling module comprises:
 an automatic test unit, configured to cause the processor to test automatically the network traffic after the video has been playing steadily; 
 a determining unit, configured to cause the processor to determine whether high-bit rate videos should be chosen and played later according to the current network traffic; 
 an upgrade controlling unit, configured to cause the processor to gradually transit to the highest bit rate and to automatically choose to play the video segments corresponding to the appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of the playing terminal when the internet environment permits; 
 a downgrade controlling unit, configured to cause the processor to transit to a low-bit rate video version when the network traffic is busy, and to automatically choose to play the video segments corresponding to the appropriate bit rate according to the resolution of the playing terminal when the internet environment permits. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a test and calculation module, configured to cause the processor to test the resolution that can be supported by the playing terminal, and to calculate the optimum bit rate that can be supported by the playing terminal. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the automatic test unit further automatically tests the network traffic according to the predefined time interval after the video has been playing steadily. 
     
     
       16. A player for performing the method as claimed in  claim 5 . 
     
     
       17. A mobile terminal comprising a player as claimed in  claim 16 .